Functional magnetic resonance imaging of the acute effect of intravenous heroin administration on visual activation in long-term heroin addicts: results from a feasibility study.
This preliminary report is the first demonstration of the acute effects of diacetylmorphine (heroin) administration on functional activation in the human brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Four opiate addicts who received regular prescriptions for heroin, underwent fMRI using a visual activation paradigm before and after a dose of 30 mg heroin. All four showed a decrease after the heroin dose in the extent of significant activation. This method shows promise for sequential scanning to determine brain activity in response to different drugs and routes of drug administration.
Sell
L A
LA
National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
Simmons
A
A
Lemmens
G M
GM
Williams
S C
SC
Brammer
M
M
Strang
J
J
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000652:urine*; D013997:Time Factors
D010100:Oxygen